The projection is a 5 per cent increase on 2007/08 and although there has been no significant increase in planted area with mangoes over the last two years, investment in the industry is expected to generate higher yields in the future.

To absorb the growing volumes, Mr Malo said the industry is turning its attention to destinations in Europe and Russia as well as opening up the lucrative Japanese market.

“The UK, France, Spain and Germany represent European markets with the most potential in terms of consumption, plus Russia looks particularly promising given the significant increase in the consumption of tropical produce there during the last few years,” explained Mr Malo.

Access to Japan, meanwhile, is still another two years’ away as Ecuador continues to develop the necessary phytosanitary protocols.

Ecuador exported around 10.9m cartons of mangoes overseas in 2007/08, which represents around 3 per cent of the country’s total fruit shipments.

According to the Mango Foundation, around 79 per cent of the total export crop went to the US, while 7.69 per cent headed to Europe, 7.13 per cent to Canada, 4.03 per cent to Mexico, 1.58 per cent to New Zealand, 0.24 per cent to Chile and 0.32 per cent to other markets.